Paula Sirola, Ph.D. (abd)

Educational History
Ph.D. (abd) Urban Planning
UCLA

M.A. in Urban Planning
UCLA

B.A. in Political Science
UC San Diego

Biography
Paula Sirola is a practitioner-academic who approaches sustainability from the perspective of advocacy, community empowerment, and social movements to shape local and regional economic development in Los Angeles and Latin America.

Paula’s intellectual foundation in urban planning, regional development and political science shapes her hands-on approach to social change. At the local level, she works with communities, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies, in capacity-building and participatory planning.  At the regional and international level, she provides project and program management and policy analysis for foundations, NGOs, and the public sector.

In Los Angeles her economic development projects and academic research encompasses urban agriculture and community gardens; water conservation and native habitat restoration; and alternative development in the informal sector, including cooperatives and microenterprises with immigrant street vendors, domestic workers and low-income women.

While a teaching associate at UCLA, Paula taught undergraduate and graduate courses on urban policies and planning in the School of Public Affairs.   She has a PhD (abd) Urban Planning UCLA, MA in Urban Planning UCLA, and BA in Political Science from UC San Diego.

Paula currently serves on the board of the Los Angeles Community Garden Council and was re-elected as a board member to the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council.